ALUMNI

Getfa Amburgey

First, I wanted to let you know that I am so happy to see DC last for 20 years. I still remember when you opened the first studio by Kroger!! You, Daryl, & the rest of the DC staff have made such an impact on so many lives, whether it was inside or outside of the studio. DC Dance Factory to me is everything! Where do I even begin?

You & Daryl are like my second set of parents. I would never want to disappoint either of you. My DC teammates are like brothers & sisters. I know if I need anything, they would be there for me. Together we are one big family! We work, sweat, cry, laugh, & go through so many life changes together. I learned so many lessons that not only applied to dancing but to the real world. I was pushed to my limits because you believed in me. You encouraged me, gave me confidence, and most importantly you loved me like I was your own child. Without DC Dance Factory I would not be the strong, confident, & perservering woman I am today. I never give up & I keep a positive outlook on life because that is what DC has instilled in me. I was taught to be passionate about everything in life, not just dance. DC Dance Factory is not just a place to learn how to point your toes or keep your legs straight. DC is a family and a passionate lifestyle! Even if I don't talk to or connect with my DC family often, I know they will be there if I need a prayer or encouraging words. My most memorable moments in life were with DC and I carry them with me everywhere. I don't even want to know where I would be if I had never danced at DC.

I will never forget one of Daryl's many speeches to our group. He told us that we are the seeds of a flower and he is the water that helps us grow! When he told us this as teenagers, we probably thought he was crazy but looking back on it, he couldn't have been more correct. All of your students are seeds that put roots down in the studio only to grow into amazing young men and women!

I can only imagine how you feel knowing that you have made such a positive impact on so many lives! I hope that I can be at least half the inspiration that you and Daryl are. I love you and miss you all so much!! I am proud to say that I danced at DC Dance Factory and had such amazing teachers to help me grow into the woman I am today. Thank you so much for everything you guys have done for my whole family. You have helped my parents raise their 3 children and now I enjoy watching your raise your own 3 beautiful children. DC Dance Factory is celebrating 20 years but I believe this is only the beginning!

Love you all,
Getfa

Lyndee Collier Baker

DC Dance Factory had a very big impact on my life. After watching my first recital there, I became completely obsessed with dance and the passion that went into the studio. There was just a crazy energy when you went in the building. I still get excited thinking about it. All of my memories from the time I was there are still so precious to me. I still feel such a strong bond with everyone I danced with there. Even if I haven't seen them for years, when I see them again it is suddenly like I never left them. I'm also so grateful for the work ethic Steph and Darryl taught me. No matter how well we did there was always a way to be better, always something to improve on. Which is such a great life lesson. I only hope that I can teach these same great values to my own students.

Lyndee Collier Baker

Ashley Behymer

Congratulations to Daryl and Stephanie on 20 years! God really had a special plan for the both of them.

Mostly I am so glad to get an opportunity to tell Daryl and Stephanie how thankful I am that I have had them in my life. I think they mean more to me than they could imagine. I had my first Hip Hop class ever with Daryl and I felt so awkward and technical, then after a few classes I found a new obsession with Hip Hop and my career went into a totally new direction. Stephanie's classes pushed me to be the dancer I knew I was capable and determined to be. I unfortunately found them later in my life but those couple of years that I came to take classes to try to grow are the years that molded me into the dancer I still am today. I somehow feel as if I have been there all along.

I have made my best friends from being at DC. I have spent almost every day of my 20's with these friends, being roommates, bunk roommates on tour, bridesmaids, friends that are my family and always will be. I look forward to heading into our 30's as we all become mother's maybe even with daughters in the same dance class. How time flies! Wow!

Outside of DC giving the best training, I do take their influence with me when I teach dance today. As I have been teaching the past couple of years. I have realized the amazing life lessons dance gives children. I get sad thinking of the kids that don't experience it. Not only what Dance does for your soul but the life lessons it instills.

Congratulations Daryl and Steph. I love your whole family very much.

Ashley Behymera

Jamaria Bowen

Wow, 20 years?! It seems so crazy to me that I am almost 21 years old and I started dancing at DC when I was 5 which means I am really a close pioneer! I am so happy for Mrs. Stephanie and Mr. Daryl, you guys deserve NOTHING but the best. I will always think of DC Dance Factory as a home away from home. Growing up, it was like my escape from everything else that was going on in my world. I forgot about school, outside friend problems, boy problems, etc. and just danced! I remember the many times I spent all day at the studio from like 9am until 9pm! Preparing for competitions were sometimes long and tiring, but it was also extremely fun!

I remember when I couldn't make the competition team until I got my splits! I felt so defeated at times because I couldn't get them, but I kept working at it and finally I could do it! I have never been the most flexible person, but my passion for dance was undeniable. I loved being at DC more than anything! I remember all the long talks that Mr. Daryl shared with us in the middle of class. At the time, we didn't realize how important they were, but I know now, I think back on them and I am extremely grateful. One of my favorite things was practicing the night before the competitions. Although they were always long, I got the chance to see everyone's dances and that was always so exciting to me. I loved summer camp at DC! For someone who loves to dance, that is the best! I didn't want to go to an outdoor camp, I wanted to dance all day!

I wouldn't want anyone to take their time at DC for granted. It can be hard at times and pretty time consuming, but I promise it was worth every second I spent and I wish everyday that I would have been able to stay at DC until my senior graduation. I feel as if I missed out on so much, yet I appreciate all I gained while I was there. I love my DC family and all of my friends that I grew up with there, we had some very fun times! I don't really have any childhood memories that don't involve something that has to do with DC. I remember being at school and being totally clueless on what was going on with the people in my class because they hung out on weekends and I danced! Believe it or not, I loved it! I find myself applying things I learned at DC to my everyday life.

I don't get to dance as often as I would like to anymore, but when I do, I promise it is the best feeling in the world. Dance is and will always be my escape and passion and I can only thank the DC staff for that. I swear I could say so much more, but being a part of this studio granted me some of the best memories of my life that I will never forget. I am grateful for Mrs. Stephanie, Mr. Daryl, Nick, and any other teacher who I was blessed to learn from through my time at DC. You guys touched my life and heart more than you will probably ever realize. You all made me a better person. I don't know where I would be in this world if I hadn't spent those 10 years at DC. I learned so much, not just dance wise, but life lessons as well that I will take with me the rest of my life!

Meghan Lite Casteel

What DC Dance Factory means to me and how it has impacted my life. Wow! Where do I begin? Let me first start by saying it was a big part of my past, formed who I am today, and will forever be a part of my future. I moved from Tampa Florida when I was 12 and left my dance home which was one of the hardest things about moving. I saw DC at a local competition in Nashville when I was there competing independently and immediately knew I had to be a part of their team. I still remember seeing Nick and Alicia's duet and thinking how amazing they were! I remember my first class at DC in a full arm cast and a very tight slicked back french twist. LOL. I fell in love. Stephanie has been such a role model in my life and was not only an incredible teacher but as an amazing person as well. She instilled in me the passion of dance. She teaches her students not only the skills and technique of dance but the real love and feeling of the art that I try so hard to teach my kids everyday. I am now a studio owner myself and think daily "How would Stephanie and Daryl handle this situation?" They are two of a kind and what a team! I honestly know without their influence in my life I would not be who I am today. Their amazing influence on other people's lives is amazing. I doubt there is another studio around with as many students who have became successful dancers, actors, singers, professionals, performers, and teachers. I am so thankful for being able to be a part of DC Dance Factory and am forever grateful for both of them.

Hailey Collier

DC Dance Factory was not just a place I went for dance lessons, It was a 2nd home. The passion and excitement made me wanna be there all the time. Stephanie & Daryl expected the best from us & made us believe we were capable of anything. I remember when Stephanie told me I could not be in a dance unless I learned my backhand spring. I was not good at tumbling and really didn't think I could do it, but her expectation made me believe I could do it. I learned it and performed it on stage. I still think back to that situation when I face a challenge.

Daryl taught me that practice makes perfect. I remember running dances over and over again and leaving exhausted. Looking back it really taught me great work ethic. When I go into learn a show whether it be music or dancing I expect to rehearse until it's perfect. Daryl and Stephanie expected perfection from us. Therefore, we believed we could make it perfect.

I don't have many childhood memories that don't include DC dance. It really was one big family. I'm forever thankful I trained at DC Dance Factory.

Brandon Conger

I am so grateful to have been a part of DC Dance Factory. It was the studio that opened up for me right at the time when I knew that dancing was a huge part of who I was.I realized from taking all the wonderful variety of classes that were offered there that I never felt hesitant in expressing my love for movement and it began to shape me into a strong individual. I have amazing memories that I hold dear to my heart. Not just from the awesome classes,recitals,and competitions, but also from the people I was around who showed such love and support.When I started competing, I felt as though my confidence was raised in a positive way and I found joy in performing. I was learning and experiencing this art form with my peers and was having a blast while doing so! Still to this day,I am able to revisit many of the fundamental keys that I learned from my classes there and I apply them the best way I know how. I am now a dance teacher and a couple of the many pleasures I get from teaching is seeing the dedication in students and witnessing the progress before my eyes! I'll always remember that early yearning feeling as a child who simply just had to dance because DC Dance Factory only enriched my passion for it. Brandon:) xxxx

Autumn Crockett

What DC has been for me...

What has DC Dance Factory been for me? That's easy, everything I am today and so much more. I wish I could write you my story of growing up in this amazing place, which I call home. But I would fill up the whole book. DC has helped write some amazing chapters in my life. Chapters that I will never forget, and chapters that have helped shape and mold me into the person I am today. Every reflection of my dancing and the dancer I want to be is a reflection of them. For they all taught me so much, more then words could ever describe. Everyday that I am in a class room, I think how blessed I was to have been taught by this amazing family. Because If it was not for them, my dreams would not be coming true. And thank God that crazy dreams come true. I am so grateful for DC. I would have been lost without them. I love you all!

Bradley Johnson

It was year 1998 that I began my dance training at DC Dance Factory. I remember being nervous yet so very excited. The high level of dance experience and professionalism that so many of the dancers had was amazing to me. I knew that I had a lot to learn and was in the right place and in the right hands of Daryl and Stephanie. They both welcomed me and it felt so great to be apart of the studio. After the first year jitters were out of the way, the next year became to be such an epic year. SUPERNOVA, 2 BAD, A DIFFERENT PARTY, are just a few of the memorable and classic competition dances we did. I got to dance and compete with my brother Jonathan Johnson who began at DC that year too. The studio had so much boy power, which I found to be a lot of fun and a great challenge! Even though its now been 20 years, I secretly think that year was one of Daryl and Stephanie's favorites.

I could continue on with year to year moments like going to amazing dance conventions and summer classes and of course winning national championships, oh and those fun halloween and christmas parties too! but that would take a lot of time. I just want everyone to know that I would not be where I am today with out Daryl and Stephanie. I have always proudly given them credit when people ask me of my training and dance back ground and inspirations. Even to this day I think of their corrections from when I was in class and apply them before I enter the stage. I think of the many lectures Daryl gave us, and now I realize that HE WAS RIGHT!

So what makes DC so GREAT? Even though I trained at DC I can not answer that. There is a secret recipe that they have in which I can not reveal, because I can not explain it in words. All I can say is it's magical what they do. No other recital is like DC DANCE FACTORY recital, and thats a fact. As many other dancers from DC, I have danced and starred on National Reality Dance shows, Performed for artist on national and Int'l tours, choreographed for national and int'l TV shows and have worked with many of the worlds biggest choreographers. This would not be so if we didn't have the incredible training and knowledge that DC Dance Factory gave us.

My friends, Daryl and Stephanie, thank you from the bottom of my heart for all you have taught and given me. It's because of you that a lot of us are working! You both always make me feel special when I come by the studio to visit, and Ms. Rhonda you are simply the best. You do so much, and you are usually the first person I see and hug whenever I enter the studio which is always is warm and loving!

I know the staff has grown since my days at DC but you all are amazing and I'm very inspired every time I see your work!

Congratulations on 20 amazing years!!
I love you all.

- BRADLEY M. JOHNSON

Natalie Liff

DC Dance Factory has changed my life in more ways than I think I could ever know. I didn't come to the studio until much later than most people, and I think that made me appreciate it that much more. The love of the DC family is unlike anything I have ever seen. We truly are a family. We laugh, we cry, we work hard, we fight, we stick up for one another, and we stay together. The friends I made during my time at DC, are still my best friends, and always will be. The support I still have from everyone at the studio, years after I've graduated, is incredible. I think about the lessons that Daryl and Stephanie taught me, every day. I strive to be the best person I can be, because that is what Steph told me to do. As Steph always says, treasure those moments of actually being in the studio. I know my friends and I wish for "the good ole days" all the time. The days of staying at the studio for 12 hours every Saturday, only to take a Sonic break. Or waking up at 4am to straighten each other's hair before a competition. Or the countless sleepovers, hotel elevator races, and long road trips to competitions. There is no other place on earth like DC, and I am so grateful to have been given the opportunity to become a part of this amazing family.

Chi Johnson Lopes

DC Dance Factory, Stephanie and Daryl Campbell, THANK YOU!

I remembered when I started at DC, I had just moved from Arizona and was so ready to start dancing again. I thought it was so cool how they emphasized hip hop and they even had competing hip hop numbers. They were pushing the edge back in the day with their ideas and choreography. They really know how to bring out the best in all their dancers too. We were all so different in style and strengths but Steph and Daryl knew how to highlight us and make us a great team. I loved going to rehearsals and watching Stephanie create and talk about what we were gonna do. I never wanted to leave the studio at night after class, I just wanted to keep dancing whatever combo we just learned.

I always thought Nick and Alicia's duets were so special and cool and I wished I could do something like that. Stephanie gave me the chance my senior year when I got to do a duet with THE Nick Bass. That was so much fun! As we all grew up we continued to dance together on professional dance gigs around town and in LA. We have all continued to stay connected thanks to the strong bond formed through dance and the environment of DC Dance Factory. It has been truly enjoyable to come back and watch their recitals and teach with other alumni's at their Summer Intensives.

I was so proud to dance along side some of the best dancers from DC who are now so successful in their dance/choreography/teaching careers thanks to Steph and Daryl's training. And to see how far DC has come and how much they have grown b/c of all of their hard work, passion and creativity really testifies to their love for dance and their students. They were a HUGE blessing in my life and I'm so excited for all the coming generations that get to share in growing up in this studio. I have to say, I would not be where I am today without the training and the inspiration I got from DC Dance Factory. I love and appreciate all you have done for me and continue to do Stephanie and Daryl!

Ragon Miller

A huge part of my childhood was watching DC Dance Factory compete. I remember rushing into the ballroom once I heard one of their numbers going on just to get a glimpse of the talented dancers, the stage presence they possessed, the perfectly executed choreography, and the gorgeous costumes. I remember thinking that if I was ever lucky enough to be in the same room as those dancers and teachers I'd be with the best of the best. Turns out, Stephanie and Daryl gave me that wonderful chance, and it turned out to be one of the best things in my dance career. I learned so much in the four years I was there it would be IMPOSSIBLE to explain it in a simple paragraph. One thing I do know is when I was at DC, dance became way more than an after school past time. It became something I HAD to continue for as long as I possibly could. It became my passion and heart. I gained confidence that I could get better, and confidence that I could always be even better than my best. I learned how to work hard for what I want and to be humble and thankful. I gained skills that the teachers pushed out of me that constantly surprised me. I gained the absolute love for being on stage. I gained the essence of team work, and the feeling of being part of a real family. This studio has given me so many gifts that has made me into the dancer and person I am today. To this day I get excited when I see new DC dances on Youtube and I get to see them grow year after year. Thank you Stephanie, Daryl, and the whole DC staff for the love, care, and passion you put into your studio and kids! Congratulations on the 20th recital!

Love always, Ragon

Abbye Myers

DC Dance Factory is more than just a studio. You could ask anyone who ever went there. You walk in and you're overwhelmed by the amount of love that is poured on you. Whether it's by the staff, mom's and dad's, your dance mates, whoever. Everybody genuinely cares about each other. DC was my second home, and I'd often rather be at DC than at home anyways! It definitely made me into the person I am today and honestly, I don't know what my life would look like right now if I hadn't gone there. Steph and Daryl made an amazing place for kids to come and learn about not only dance, but a way to live your life to the fullest everyday. I made lifelong friends at DC. And I can't really even call them friends, because they are my family. I feel so blessed to call myself a DC alumni!

Lauren Perry

My time at DC basically set the pathway for my life as a dancer and an artist. It introduced me to the career I never dreamed I would still be living and loving to this very day. Not only did it set my passion for dance into motion but it also taught me at a young age how to be a good person no matter how bad things can get in life. I learned the meaning of drive, hard work, friendship, family, and what it means to be a team and not only think of yourself. Although, we all know that sometimes you have to be selfish in order to do what's right by you as a person. Above all, I learned what it means to give respect whether it's to the space you work in, your teachers, friends, or even the people you don't know. Be kind.

It's these lessons we learn that are crucial into how we will carry ourselves through life, and I'm thankful I was taught them at a young age. I am still learning new lessons as I get older just like everyone else and I doubt it will stop.

I will always cherish my young years with everyone at DC because you all had an influence in my life. I hope the younger generations can gather the same important life lessons we had when I was there whether or not they grow up as artists or just grow up to be incredible human beings. But my hope is that they grow.

Elizabeth Petrin

I would have to say that the years I spent at DC Dance Factory where probably the best years of my life so far. It is such an amazing studio with loads of talent and people that feel more like my family than teachers and peers. The lessons and memories that I have from DC show up in my normal day to day activities. I feel like I became not only a better dancer from going to DC but a better person. That all being said the dance training and performance training is one of the best in the country. So ahead of the times always and so entertaining and exciting. I feel so lucky to have been a part of such an unbelievable place and only wish that all dancers could experience what i experienced in my time there. Thank you so much Stephanie and Daryl I love you guys and it really is so hard to put in to words how crazy awesome DC is!!!

Thanks,
Elizabeth

Joy Spears

DCDF will always hold such a special place in my heart. From a young age, I always looked up to DC and was so inspired when I would see everyone at competitions. Every summer DC camp was what I looked forward to, everyone was always so welcoming to me. When the studio moved to Franklin and I was able to drive from Alabama and take company classes regularly, although it was just my senior year, it felt like home. I don't think I would be dancing today if it was not for Stephanie Campbell, I remember my first summer camp when I was 15 and something completely changed for me-she is the most inspiring person I have ever known. I am so grateful for everyone who has ever been a part of DC and has welcomed me in, it means more than words can express. Getting to come back to teach and visit always reminds me of why I do what I do. There are many studios with good teachers and dancers, but DC is a home, a family and a team. DCDF has changed lives and offered love, support, inspiration, encouragement and memories for 20 years and I have no doubt that will continue for many years to come.

Caitlin Wright

I use a "lesson learned" from my years at DC Dance Factory every day of my life! It has imprinted my life and laid a foundation for me as a performer. I did not just learn to dance. I learned to have work ethic and professionalism. I learned to push forward through adversity. I came to DC because I wanted to be a dancer! What I learned about myself through the encouragement and wisdom of my teachers is that I was not just a dancer. What I am is a performer. I am now pursuing a career in acting in Los Angeles. One of the most difficult careers anyone could pursue. It is the preparation and training I learned at DC that enables me to enter a meeting at Paramount Studios or ABC with confidence and professionalism. The competition experience at DC was invaluable to me as an actor. Acting is fiercely competitive and many talented people are not prepared for this type of critique and or rejection. DC prepared me for this and gave me a perspective I am thankful for. I learned that in competition there are always the favorites to win. The most talented, the one with the most training, the predicted. But I also learned that an underdog can win too... when the heart and passion prevail! Though I am no longer at DC.. in someways I still am. In everything I do I feel accountable to the teachers and mentors that invested so much of themselves in me. I still want to make them proud!